The Rugby Park grandstand has been closed since May 2019 due to its condition, primarily its seismic strength.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Government, Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones and local Labour MP Kiri Allan for their support and advocacy for redeveloping Rugby Park,” Willoughby said.
“We see this as a huge opportunity for our community to build a facility we can all be proud of.
“In addition to rebuilding the PBRFU grandstand, we will be actively pursuing the creation of a multisports/community hub with the right support from the Government and our community.
“Rugby Park is identified in Gisborne District Council’s spatial plan as a sports hub and this recognition from the Government reinforces that.
“It also reinforces the impact sports and community facilities have on the community and its overall wellbeing.”
Once construction is completed, Rugby Park will be able to host regional and national fixtures.
“Our aspiration for a Farah Palmer Cup team will no longer be limited by unfit facilities,” Willoughby said.
The Farah Palmer Cup is the highest-level domestic women’s rugby competition in New Zealand and is named after former Black Ferns captain Farah Palmer.
“There’s a lot of work ahead but it’s exciting,” Willoughby said.
“I would like to give a special mention to Council of Clubs chairman Marty Bayley, who developed and submitted the application for this funding during lockdown.”
■ Willoughby confirmed this morning that the $8m of funding was for the grandstand and Rugby Park, rather than for a sports hub.
The application to the $3 billion “shovel-ready” Covid recovery infrastructure fund was made by the union and priced on the basis of being a rugby facility.
The union was part of a sports community dedicated to developing a sports hub, he said.
It would be fantastic if the facility could be used for the wider sports community, but much work was needed before a hub could be developed.
The funding application included a new turf, which could be part of a hub, but it was not yet known if it would be a grass turf or an artificial turf. (Wairarapa Bush teams play on artificial turf in Masterton.)
